Passes and peaks look scary, but exams repeat the same 15–20 names. “La” means pass in Tibetan, so every name ending in “La” is a pass. Learn which state it is in and what it connects.
Important passes
| Pass | State / UT | Connects / known for |
|---|---|---|
| Karakoram Pass | Ladakh | Ladakh with Xinjiang (China) |
| Khardung La | Ladakh | Leh with the Nubra Valley; one of the highest motorable passes |
| Zoji La | Ladakh / J&K | Srinagar with Leh (Zojila tunnel under construction) |
| Banihal Pass | J&K | Jammu with Srinagar (Jawahar tunnel) |
| Pir Panjal Pass | J&K | Old Mughal Road route |
| Rohtang Pass | Himachal Pradesh | Kullu with Lahaul–Spiti (Atal Tunnel, 2020) |
| Baralacha La | Himachal Pradesh | On the Manali–Leh highway |
| Shipki La | Himachal Pradesh | Sutlej enters India; trade with Tibet |
| Lipulekh | Uttarakhand | Route to Kailash Mansarovar |
| Mana Pass | Uttarakhand | Near Badrinath; to Tibet |
| Niti Pass | Uttarakhand | Uttarakhand with Tibet |
| Nathu La | Sikkim | Trade with Tibet; Kailash route; on the old Silk Route |
| Jelep La | Sikkim | Sikkim with the Chumbi Valley |
| Bomdi La | Arunachal Pradesh | Towards Tawang |
| Palakkad Gap | Kerala–Tamil Nadu | Gap in the Western Ghats |
| Thal Ghat and Bhor Ghat | Maharashtra | Mumbai with Nashik and Pune |
Highest peaks
| Peak | Height (approx) | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| K2 (Godwin-Austen) | 8,611 m | Highest peak in India’s claimed territory (in PoK/Gilgit-Baltistan) |
| Kangchenjunga | 8,586 m | Highest peak in India (Sikkim); 3rd highest in the world |
| Nanda Devi | 7,816 m | Highest peak entirely within India (Uttarakhand) |
| Saltoro Kangri | 7,742 m | Karakoram range |
| Saramati | 3,826 m | Highest peak of Nagaland |
Highest peak of each range
| Range | Highest peak | State |
|---|---|---|
| Western Ghats (overall) | Anamudi (2,695 m) | Kerala |
| Nilgiris | Doddabetta (2,637 m) | Tamil Nadu |
| Aravallis | Guru Shikhar (1,722 m) | Rajasthan (Mount Abu) |
| Satpura | Dhupgarh (1,350 m) | Madhya Pradesh |
| Eastern Ghats | Arma Konda / Jindhagada (about 1,680 m) | Andhra Pradesh |
| Karnataka’s highest | Mullayanagiri (1,930 m) | Karnataka |
| Maharashtra’s highest | Kalsubai (1,646 m) | Maharashtra |
| Andaman and Nicobar | Saddle Peak (732 m) | North Andaman |
Memory tricks
- Ladakh’s three: Karakoram, Khardung La, Zoji La.
- Sikkim’s two: Nathu La and Jelep La.
- Uttarakhand’s three to Tibet: Lipulekh, Mana, Niti.
- South India’s highest = Anamudi (“Ana” = elephant in Malayalam).
Exam-ready one-liners
- Kangchenjunga is the highest peak in India; Nanda Devi is the highest entirely within India.
- Anamudi is the highest peak of South India.
- Guru Shikhar is the highest peak of the Aravallis.
- The Atal Tunnel runs under the Rohtang Pass.
- The Sutlej enters India through the Shipki La region.
Related reading
Quiz: test yourself
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Heights are approx and vary slightly by source.
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